Aquaphobia
by The Gemini Sage
Summary: Felix has been terrified of water ever since he nearly drowned in the accident years ago. So what does Piers do? Well, he teaches him to swim! This is SWAMPSHIPPING. That is, Piers and Felix in a romantic relationship. Don't like it? don't read it!


**Notes:** This is my first and only Golden Sun fic. It's sugary and sappy and posted as-is. I wrote it a long time ago and didn't clean it up very much. However, it is my ONLY Golden Sun fic, so please be gentle.

* * *

Three years.

It had been three, long, happy years since the return of Alchemy, three deliciously slow years, years full of laughter and joy. In that time, Vale had been rebuilt to its former state (though it was a bit more flat, now), the adepts who had saved the world returned home, and peace had returned to Weyard.

They all visited and kept in touch, of course. After all, between the eight of them, four of them lived all in one place, one lived nearby, one owned a flying ship, and he was always more than happy to give rides to the other two any time. Since Vale was where the majority of the heroes lived, Vale was where they gathered at least twice a month—more than that when it was being rebuilt—to train together, or talk together, or just catch up on what had happened recently.

More than a few of them had found romance, or something like it. Isaac and Garet were constantly bickering over Jenna, who, despite herself, seemed to enjoy the attention. Mia had gotten that smile on her face, and refused to tell any of them who her new love was. Even Sheba seemed to be happier, and only Felix knew why—he'd caught her kissing Jenna. (No wonder she hadn't made a choice between Isaac and Garet yet.)

As for Felix himself, he was in a quiet, happy relationship with a certain Lemurian who he had had eyes for (and one who had had eyes for him) for quite awhile. Of course they had wound up telling each other their feelings at roughly the same time when they "accidentally" let their lips touch during one of Piers' frequent visits to Vale, and after that, the rest was almost written in stone. The adepts they had traveled with seemed to have more or less assumed the truth, or guessed it, but the only one they had really came out and told was poor Jenna, who had been very fearful of rejection after being caught with her lips locked to Sheba's.

"Relax," Felix had told her later, when she'd come to him, white-faced and frightened, to beg him not to tell. "You know me. I'm quiet. And anyway, if you _really_ want to make sure I won't blackmail you, I'll let you watch me kiss Piers the next time I see him."

And "Oh," said a very surprised Jenna, "I see." There was a pause, and then she'd added, "Do you think our parents wanted grandchildren very badly?"

"I hope not," Felix had replied, and they had laughed nervously.

The truth was, Felix _was_ a quiet person. Before his accident in the river (during that _unforgettable_ storm that had changed the course of his life forever), he'd always been the bookworm who preferred to listen and then talk, though he talked more then than he did now. During his "training" with Saturos and Menardi, he had always let his haughty silence speak for him, even when they had insisted on training him to the point of exhaustion to make sure he'd screw up and then have a reason to be punished. And even in his final adventures, he had been the one who talked the least, preferring not to get involved in conversations about nothing (though Piers had always been one to get his chatterbox going). He considered himself not exactly bitter or withdrawn, but _changed_ from his experiences, and he did often wonder whether the change, the new quietness, was for the better or worse.

He fit well with Piers, because of that quietness. Piers, though he did often get bored to death in Lemuria, had learned to appreciate quietness from its endless stretch of years. He chattered more than Felix did, glad to be able to do so, but he did not take place in the loud and boisterous arguments Isaac, Garet, and Jenna loved, nor did he go doing things that would attract unwanted attention—say, kissing in public. Well, that wasn't entirely true—they did kiss in public, they just made sure no one saw. It was like their own little game. Felix preferred it that way, rather than being open. He was not ashamed of himself or Piers—he just preferred to be quiet, rather than be asked a hundred questions.

No, the only one he would answer a hundred questions from was Piers. At the moment, they were sitting by the river (_that_ river, Felix had noted, distinctly unhappy about it), playing another game. The rules were simple: they took turns asking each other questions and answering them, in order to get to know each other better. A question couldn't be answered with a question, and if one of them felt like they just couldn't answer, the other got to keep asking questions until they found one they would answer.

Sometimes they played when they were bored, and sometimes they played when they just wanted an excuse to cuddle. It had been Piers' idea, but Felix liked it more than he thought he would. (Honestly, it had sounded so _stupid_, but he couldn't deny enjoying it.) They had been together, and had been playing the game, for about two and a half years; they knew each other intimately by now. But Felix found—and so did Piers—that there was always something new to find out.

"Me first this time," Felix told his lover, settling back against his chest. Piers had his arms wrapped around Felix's front, and his back up against a sturdy oak tree. They were facing Felix's house, so that the river was to their right. "Since it was my turn when we quit last time."

"Okay," Piers agreed, also leaning back. He gazed to his right, at the river (not nearly as beautiful as the sea, but it would do), while Felix thought.

"I got it," Felix said with a grin. "Okay, okay...so I know you look about twenty-one, but how old are you really, Piers?"

Piers groaned. "This again? That's not fair, Felix."

"You have to tell me now, though." Felix looked up and grinned at him. "Please? I won't tell anyone. Not even Jenna."

"This is silly!"

"But I want to know," Felix insisted.

"Come now, ask a different one."

"How old? A hundred? Two hundred?"

"Older," Piers said flatly, giving up.

"Really?" Felix asked, twisting around to stare. "Hmm...three hundred."

"Older."

"A thousand?"

"I'm not _that_ old!" Piers yelped, surprised. "I'm five hundred and eighty-six, to be exact."

"Wow," Felix said, floored. "And I'm only twenty-two. What does that make you?"

"My turn," Piers said quickly, changing the subject. "Hmm...let's see if I can't think of an embarrassing one," he muttered. "I want revenge."

"Go ahead," Felix chuckled. He couldn't think of anything he wouldn't tell Piers.

"Really? Anything?"

"Yes."

"What's the weirdest place you've ever, ah, relieved your urges at?" Piers asked, snickering.

"Wha—? _Piers!_" Felix was quite scandalized.

They continued attempting to embarrass each other for nearly twenty minutes, but finally, ten before the sun began to set but after the complete light of day had faded, the questions became less humorous and more serious, as the mood quieted along with the day.

"What do you regret the most?" Felix murmured, almost purring his contentment as he snuggled closer to Piers.

"Hmm...not getting a chance to say goodbye to my mother while she was alive," Piers said, able to decide at once. "What about you?"

"Never learning to swim," Felix replied, almost before he even knew what he was saying.

"You can't swim?" Piers asked, truly surprised.

"Hey, it's my turn, not yours." Felix averted his eyes, wishing he had said something else.

"Forget the game for a moment," Piers said impatiently. "You can't swim?"

"No," Felix said, blushing.

"But you were on the boat with us."

"Yes."

"You sailed to Lemuria."

"Yes."

"You sailed to _Prox_."

Felix winced. "Don't wanna talk about Prox." He had very few fond memories of it.

"Sorry."

"And technically, I _flew_ there. With help."

"Well, _still_. You survived that...that tidal wave..."

"So did you," Felix pointed out.

"Yes, but _I_ can swim."

"Oh, rub it in."

"I'm not trying to be mean," Piers said, kissing the top of Felix's head. "It's still daylight, I'll teach you right now if you want."

"No thanks." Felix buried his face into Piers' left arm as best as he could.

"Why not?" Piers ask with a frown. "You did say you regretted it."

Felix mumbled something unintelligible into the fabric of Piers' sleeve.

"You know I can't understand that."

"Mmm." Felix looked up at Piers again. Brown eyes blinked once at him and Piers felt his heart melt with adoration for his Felix. "It's stupid, anyway."

"Come on, tell me what you said. Why don't you want to learn?"

Felix looked pained. "It's just...I...I...the _water_..."

"The water?"

"I don't _like_ water..."

"Aaah," Piers said, sudden understanding coming to him. "You're af—"

"No," Felix denied quickly.

"Well then why do you refuse to look to the right?"

Felix might have been quiet, but he did have some pride, even around Piers. He looked to the right. He watched the river's shimmering surface, listen to it as it rushed downstream, carrying all things in its current—

—and all the sudden he felt like his lungs were being crushed, he was going to suffocate, to drown—but he _couldn't_ breathe in, or he _would_ drown—he was being dragged under—into a black darkness he didn't want to go near—

"Felix?" Piers asked, noticing his glazed expression. He turned Felix around a little to look at his face. Nothing. "Felix!"

Felix jerked his head away from the river and looked up at Piers with sharp intake of breath, taking in the precious air around him. His eyes focused gratefully on Piers' face, and he blushed, looking down, then once again buried his face into the folds of Piers' shirt.

"I don't _like_ water," he mumbled again.

"I've gathered." Piers began to stroke Felix's hair. "How often does that happen?"

"Too often. Almost every time I get near the stuff. When we sailed I could never look at the horizon. Always up at the sky."

"You're right...that is too often."

"I almost drowned right here. In the storm. Did I ever tell you?"

"You've outlined what happened for things to come out the way they did, yes...but I didn't realize it had come so close." Piers watched Felix carefully.

Felix was taking deep, slow breaths. "Mom and Dad and Isaac's father told me they never lost consciousness while they were in the water. They were on the dock when the boulder hit. They almost drowned, too, but they were awake the whole time. Not me. I held onto the rock in the middle of the river...forever...and then when my fingers were too numb to hold on anymore, I was dragged down." Felix sucked in another deep breath. "There was no air, anywhere, and I tried to hold my breath, but I finally did breathe in water, and—and—it was awful. I felt like my lungs were caving in and exploding at the same time. I passed out, and when I did, I really thought that it was dying." He shuddered. "I don't like to remember it."

"I don't blame you," Piers replied sincerely. "I wouldn't either."

"Good. Now, since it's my turn—"

"Whoah, whoah, hold on," Piers interrupted. He released Felix and stood up. "I told you I was going to teach you to swim."

"And I told you I didn't want to," Felix answered, eyes wide. He hugged his knees to himself. "I will be very happy never to step in that river again, thank you very much."

"Come now, I'm a very powerful adept, a Mercury Adept, to be exact, which means water has very little power over me. A slow river like this can't hurt you if I'm around." Piers extended a hand. "You can't just remain afraid of it forever. I'm sure sailing on the boat with us was unpleasant since you couldn't even look down..."

"Yes, it _was_. I'd like to stay on dry land."

"What I'm saying is that you may encounter other situations with water. So, you shouldn't let it be a weakness."

"The world is safe now, though," Felix pointed out. "Who cares if I'm weak?"

"You do, of course," Piers said, folding his arms. "You're just trying to get out of swimming."

And Felix knew that he was very right, but he still didn't want swimming lessons.

"You know me too well. Look—earth is my element. So I'd like to stay near _it_ and not _water_."

Piers pretended to look hurt. "You have something against water?"

"Yes, I _do_. Not against you—just the water."

"Felix—"

"It _tried_ to _kill_ me."

"Technically, it was Saturos and Menardi that tried to kill you. And _that_ time it wasn't even on purpose."

"Yeah, well, I never liked them much either," Felix muttered, quite truthfully.

They bickered a few more minutes; Piers, who loved the water, who had always loved the water, who couldn't see how anyone could be so afraid of it, wanted more than anything for Felix to learn to swim, to learn to love the water with him—but Felix, who feared the water, loathed it, who couldn't understand how anyone could enjoy swimming in it, wanted to stay on dry land where it was safe. Piers finally had to resort to begging.

"Felix, please," the Lemurian said softly. He knelt by his lover to be able to look at him face-to-face. "I _promise_ nothing will happen to you. I will _not_ let you go, and you _will not_ drown. I _promise_."

"Piers..." Felix looked away. That was _water_. Water! He couldn't swim and he would _drown_. He didn't _want_ to go in!

Piers cupped his hand around Felix's chin, gently tilting it to make him look up again.

"I know you don't trust the river, Felix, and I'm not asking you to—" Piers smiled a little, and held out his hand again, standing once more. "—but can you trust me?"

Felix hesitated, then blushed and nodded, taking his hand and pulling himself up with it. "Okay."

Trust Piers? Of course he could trust Piers, he trusted Piers with his heart and life and body and soul and he _still _didn't want to get in the water...

"The nice part is that we get to go shirtless," Piers said, trying to lighten the mood, and Felix began to laugh. They quickly stripped each _other_ of their cloaks, shirts, and shoes, leaving them folded neatly on the bank. Piers was the first on to hop off the bank and into the river, leaving an apprehensive Felix to watch and hope Piers didn't drown.

The riverbed was very deep in the middle, but on the side, where Piers was, the water only came up to his stomach. He winced as his body hit it, and at Felix's questioning look, said, "Just a little chilly." But Felix knew Piers was just pitifully cold-natured. Lemuria was a very warm place compared to Vale, or even Prox, where Felix had lived for so long. "Give me a minute." He began to swim out to the rock (_that_ rock, Felix had noted, distinctly unhappy about it), and ducked under before coming back again. Deciding he was used to the temperature, he went back to the edge and held out both hands for Felix.

"Come on. Put a foot in. You'll be fine."

Felix, fighting his hesitation and reluctance, took Piers' hands, and put one foot into the water. "It's warm," he said, surprised.

"It most certainly is not."

Felix smiled, and, feeling a little better, sat down on the riverbank and allowed both of his legs to dip into the river. "It is warm. You're pitiful, that's all."

"_I'm_ pitiful?" Piers asked. But he was smiling, too. "All right...come on in. If it's really so warm to you."

"Nnn. In a minute," Felix hedged, trying to avoid it.

"No, come on." Piers tightened his grip on Felix's hands and gently pulled him forward. Felix resisted a little at first, frightened, but then allowed himself to be pulled all the way in. He hit the water with a splash, and felt his feet hit the bottom of the river. The water (still warm) came up to his chest, too, and Felix took a deep breath to remind himself that there was air, and he was not being dragged away There was hardly a current at all—nothing like the day of the storm. Still, his grip on Piers' hands was tight, almost painful. Piers, only partly for the sake of his own circulation, pulled him into a hug instead.

"See?" Piers whispered. "You're okay. Everything's okay. You're doing great."

Felix swallowed and nodded.

"Ready to go to the middle of the river?"

"No," Felix said, clinging to Piers even more tightly. "I want to get out. I don't like this. I can't breathe."

"Yes, you can," Piers encouraged him, thinking he could stay cold-natured all of his life and he still wouldn't be the pitiful one. "There's air everywhere. Just because the water is around your body doesn't mean it's squeezing the air away." He kept this up until Felix's grip slowly began to relax. Finally Felix pulled back and Piers took his hand, gently pulling him towards the deeper part of the river.

And then they were at the rock, _that_ rock. The water, which had once been too deep for Felix to stand in, now came up to his shoulders. The current was a little stronger, and the water was a little cooler. Felix found himself drawn back to the rock, remembering the rule he'd set for himself—_if you let go, you'll die, so don't let go._

"You okay?" Piers asked, noticing his lover's glazed expression. He still had Felix's hand; as promised, he wouldn't let go.

"Mmm," said Felix. "Not really." _If you let go, you'll die, so don't let go._

Piers felt bad for pushing him. He wouldn't be doing it at all if he didn't think Felix needed it. "Do you want to get out for now?"

Felix swallowed, not really hearing him. That rock...how long had he clung to it, waiting desperately for rescue? He brushed his fingers over it, surprised to find he still remembered the places his hands had been on. He remembered the place where he had been gripping the rock, with cold, numb fingers—

_If you let go, you'll die, so don't let go._

A rushing sound filled his ears. _The river._ All the sudden he was freezing cold, and terrified. His hands found their familiar places on the rock, so the rushing current wouldn't rip him away and pull him under again. He couldn't let go, he wouldn't let go...

"Felix?" Piers asked. _Oh, hell._ Okay, he had pushed his limits enough for one day. "Felix...come on...it's all right. Let go, we'll get out and try again later."

But Felix could barely make his voice out, over the wailing wind and rushing river only he heard.

"I can't let go. If I let go, I'll die, so I can't let go." He believed it, too. "I'm gonna drown...I'm gonna drown! I can't _breathe_, Piers."

Piers had his hands on Felix's shoulders, massaging them, trying to calm him down. But he knew it would do little good. Felix _was_ fighting to breathe, even though there was air all around him. So instead, he removed his hands, and placed them overtop of Felix's.

"Felix...I'm hanging on with you," Piers told him, his mouth right next to Felix's ear. "Remember? I promised I wouldn't let go and that you wouldn't drown. So, I'm not letting your hands go, and you won't drown." The position he was in forced him to have to press his body against Felix's, and he did gladly; it was almost like hugging him. The Lemurian nuzzled Felix's hair with his face, and kissed the top of his head. He'd just have to wait until Felix snapped out of it...and until then, he wouldn't let go. "Come on...come back to me," he whispered. "You're not in that storm anymore. You're fine. Breathe. In...out."

Piers breathed as he said it, and Felix breathed with him. Piers felt incredibly guilty—he'd pushed Felix too quickly, and now he would probably be even more afraid of the water than before.

But if Felix trusted Piers enough to bring him near the water, he certainly trusted him not to let go, and again, he began to relax into the comfort that his lover was offering him. The memory faded, and left them in the quiet village, with the clear sky above them, aglow with colors from the setting sun.

"Piers," he grunted, after a long moment of silence.

"Hm?"

"Can let go." Felix's hands had relaxed, only pinned to the rock by Piers' grip now. Piers hesitated, then removed his hands, letting them slide down to Felix's wrists. His grip loosened and Felix yelped, "Of the rock, dummy, not me! We're still in the water—!"

Piers wrapped his arms around Felix's chest and pulled him close, laughing softly into the skin on his back. "I wasn't going to let go of you. Are you okay now? Do you want to get out?"

"You were too, I'm not sure, and no, I don't think so."

By the time Piers had processed this, Felix had pried them off the rock and was heading for the water on the edge—warmer, less deep. He'd grabbed Piers' hand under the water instead of carrying him on his back, and when they got back to the edge, he stopped and cleared his throat, clearly embarrassed.

"Uh...okay," Felix said. "I..." He blushed and looked down. "I know. I'm screwed up. I see a rock and go into another world. But...you're here, so—I decided I do want to learn because if you're teaching me...you...I just..."

He simply couldn't articulate how safe and protected Piers made him feel.

Luckily, Piers understood. He smiled at Felix, brushing his hair—damp, but only at the ends—out of his eyes. They blinked at him, and he smiled and kissed the lips of their owner. Felix's eyes closed and he clung to Piers all over again.

"M'sorry," Piers whispered.

"Don't be. Teach me to swim."

"Okay." Piers pulled away a little, then paused. "I love you, Felix."

"I know. Love you, too." They shared one more kiss, then Piers began Felix's first lesson of many more to come.


End file.
